Starlight Investments has completed the closing of its second UK Build to Rent fund, securing £680 million in total capital commitments to support the acquisition and delivery of more than 6,000 rental homes across the country. The capital has been raised through Starlight UK BTR Fund II alongside ancillary investment vehicles, providing significant backing for the global real estate investor’s continued expansion within the UK purpose-built rental market. The fund is already partially deployed, with three major residential communities currently under construction. Two are located in Manchester, while a further development is progressing in Basildon, Essex. Among Starlight’s growing pipeline is Trinity Heights in Manchester, a 60-storey BTR tower approaching completion, alongside The Mercantile in Basildon and another major rental community under construction within Manchester’s Greengate neighbourhood. The latest fundraising represents another substantial injection of institutional capital into the UK’s rapidly expanding BTR development sector. Investors participating in Fund II include institutions from Europe, Asia-Pacific and Canada, combining existing Starlight investment partners with several new entrants. Significantly, the fund has also attracted government-backed investment. Earlier this year, the National Housing Bank, part of Homes England, committed £100 million as a cornerstone investor in Fund II. The investment is intended to help accelerate Starlight’s pipeline of rental housing in locations where housing supply remains constrained. Starlight’s strategy is focused on professionally managed rental communities across major regional cities including Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, together with locations within the London commuter belt. Developments are being targeted towards areas with strong rental demand and access to employment, education and transport infrastructure. The company’s wider UK platform now comprises 12 BTR communities at various stages from development and construction through to leasing and operation. Starlight says its expanding pipeline is expected to place the business among the UK’s four largest BTR operators by scale as further developments become operational. Jonnie Milich, Head of UK Residential at Starlight Investments, said the closing would allow the business to concentrate on execution and the next phase of growth, supported by an established development pipeline and expanding UK team. The investment comes as institutional capital continues to play an increasingly important role in bringing forward large-scale rental housing. For the construction and residential development markets, Starlight’s £680 million capital raise provides substantial funding capacity for thousands of new homes, creating a significant future pipeline for architects, contractors, consultants and specialist supply chain businesses as schemes progress. Starlight has operated in the UK since 2020 and, as of May 2026, managed around 4,000 UK homes with approximately £1.1 billion of assets under management. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

McLaren Living has secured planning permission for a £65 million co-living and affordable housing development at Fish Island in Hackney Wick, paving the way for 324 new homes in east London. The Wansbeck Road scheme will deliver 280 co-living studios alongside 44 affordable homes across two buildings rising to 10 and seven storeys. Occupying the final development plot within the wider Neptune Wharf masterplan, the project will complete a key part of the regeneration of Fish Island and establish a new residential gateway at the junction of Wansbeck Road and Monier Road. Designed by HTA Design, the development has been conceived as a residential-led community combining private accommodation with an extensive range of shared amenities. Residents of the co-living building will have access to a gym, library, cinema and creative studios, together with communal kitchens and dedicated dining and social spaces. At ground-floor level, plans also include a social co-working café and flexible pop-up event space, helping to create greater activity and interaction between the development and surrounding neighbourhood. A landscaped central courtyard will sit between the two buildings, providing shared outdoor space while creating new connections through the site. Sustainability has also been embedded within the design. The car-free development will provide extensive cycle facilities alongside rain gardens and sustainable drainage measures, while rooftop solar panels will contribute towards reducing operational energy requirements. The scheme is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating, further strengthening its environmental credentials as McLaren Living looks to deliver a high-density residential development designed around sustainable urban living. The combination of co-living and affordable housing also reflects the increasing diversification of London’s residential market, with purpose-designed shared living emerging alongside more established housing models as developers respond to demand for well-connected homes with greater communal and amenity provision. Ed Court, divisional managing director at McLaren Living, said the developer was excited to progress its plans for Wansbeck Road and complete an important remaining part of the Neptune Wharf masterplan. He added that the location represented a significant co-living investment opportunity, supported by a diverse professional population and strong connections to employment, education and leisure destinations across the capital. With planning permission now secured, the £65 million development represents another significant addition to Hackney Wick’s evolving residential landscape and the continuing regeneration of Fish Island. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Scotland is looking to attract greater levels of private investment into housing development, with Build to Rent identified as an important part of plans to accelerate the delivery of new homes across the country. The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2026–31 sets out plans for a new national housing agency, More Homes Scotland (MHS), which will bring together funding, expertise and delivery tools in an effort to remove barriers and get more housing projects moving. The agency is expected to be phased in from 1 April 2027. Central to the approach will be a strategic partnership between More Homes Scotland and the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB), designed to leverage additional private commercial capital for residential development. The partnership will look across different housing tenures, with Build to Rent specifically identified alongside affordable and social housing as an area capable of supporting increased delivery. The Government also wants the initiative to encourage new entrants into the market and support the growth of existing housing providers. For Scotland’s BTR sector, the announcement provides a potentially important new route for attracting institutional and private capital into projects at a time when the industry continues to face challenges around development viability, funding and the delivery of new housing at scale. More Homes Scotland will have a wider role in coordinating housing delivery and investment, strengthening regional collaboration and helping to align new development with economic growth priorities. The Government is also proposing further changes to the planning system aimed at speeding up development and helping projects progress from planning through to construction. The measures form part of a broader strategy to increase housing supply and improve investor confidence across Scotland. Alongside the increased focus on private capital, affordable housing remains a major part of Scotland’s housing programme. The Government has committed to delivering 111,000 affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70% intended for social rent. The establishment of MHS could therefore create a stronger link between public-sector housing priorities and institutional investment, opening opportunities for developers, investors, contractors and the wider construction supply chain. For Build to Rent in particular, the commitment is significant because it places the sector directly within the Government’s plans for increasing housing delivery rather than treating it solely as a specialist investment market. As More Homes Scotland begins to take shape ahead of its planned introduction from April 2027, attention will now turn to how its partnership with SNIB will translate private capital into viable development opportunities and, ultimately, new homes on the ground. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Thakeham and Abri have completed work at Manorwood, West Horsley, delivering 139 homes designed to reflect the character of the local area.  The new community includes 56 affordable homes and 74 for private sale, comprising bungalows and 2, 3, and 4-bedroom homes. Manorwood is currently 90% sold, with just nine homes still available to buy. The homes feature electric vehicle (EV) charging points, and over 300 solar panels were installed across the site. Manorwood properties achieve an impressive reduction in carbon emissions, averaging 1.5 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is about half the UK average.  In addition, the development has wildlife-friendly features such as bird and bat boxes. Local couple, Lia and Ross, who moved into their first home together recently said that Manorwood offered the right balance of familiarity and fresh beginnings. It felt connected to the surrounding village, with homes that sat comfortably alongside the local architecture and streetscape. “We just fell in love with it,” says Lia. “It was one of those moments where we said, ‘we’ll just have a look’ – and then a couple of weeks later, we were here reserving our first home together.”* Matt O’Halloran, Operations Director at Thakeham said: “Manorwood has delivered 139 quality new homes that fit seamlessly into the existing village, but that offer all the benefits of modern construction.” “We are proud to have provided, in partnership with Abri, a new nursery building for local children, a junior sports hall, and two padel courts, marking this development out from others in the area. The community feel is already growing as people move into Manorwood, and once the final homes have sold, it will only get stronger.” Sally Ingham, Director of Development at Abri said: “Completing all 139 homes at Manorwood is a fantastic milestone. Fifty-six of these are affordable homes, meaning local people who might otherwise have been priced out of the area now have a genuinely affordable place to live. High quality, sustainable homes like these are exactly what we need as we work towards our ambition of building 20,000 homes by 2036.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Renaker has cleared a major planning hurdle for its next generation of residential towers in Manchester after reaching a Section 106 agreement with Manchester City Council that could deliver up to £114 million towards affordable housing. The agreement enables the developer’s five-tower Great Jackson Street proposals to progress more than two years after councillors initially backed the development. Designed by Manchester-based SimpsonHaugh Architects, the ambitious programme will deliver 2,388 new apartments across five high-rise buildings. At the centre of the plans is the 71-storey Lighthouse, a 213-metre residential tower that, if completed as proposed, would become Manchester’s tallest building and the tallest in the UK outside London. Around 640 apartments are planned within the slender tower, together with a public restaurant at its upper level. The Lighthouse takes its name from its distinctive glazed crown, which will create a lantern-like feature on the Manchester skyline. SimpsonHaugh’s design incorporates a unitised façade and a chequered architectural treatment beneath the upper glazed floors. Construction expenditure on the tower has been reported at approximately £235 million. The remaining four buildings, known collectively as The Green, will comprise two 47-storey and two 51-storey towers, providing 1,746 homes alongside commercial, leisure, food and drink accommodation at lower levels. Landscaping, public realm, cycle storage and supporting infrastructure also form part of the wider proposals. Construction of these four towers is expected to represent investment of more than £570 million. Affordable housing has been a significant part of negotiations between the developer and the council. Rather than affordable homes being delivered within the five towers, the Section 106 agreement establishes a viability-linked mechanism through which contributions could be secured for affordable housing elsewhere within Manchester. The Lighthouse is subject to a maximum contribution of around £33.2 million, while The Green could contribute up to a further £81 million. Importantly, these figures represent maximum potential contributions rather than guaranteed upfront payments. The eventual sums will depend on future viability assessments and the financial performance of the developments. The agreement brings greater certainty to one of Manchester’s most significant residential development programmes and continues the transformation of Great Jackson Street into a major high-density neighbourhood. Once delivered, the new buildings will help connect Renaker’s established Deansgate Square and Crown Street developments, creating an increasingly continuous cluster of residential towers on the southern edge of Manchester city centre. Alongside SimpsonHaugh Architects, the wider professional team identified for the development includes Deloitte, Curtins, WSP, GIA, Godwins, TPM Landscape, Element Sustainability, FutureServ and DP Squared, among others. Renaker has not yet confirmed a demolition or construction timetable for the five-tower programme. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Capital&Centric is marking the opening of its Weir Mill Build to Rent development in Stockport with a major community event, highlighting how the transformation of the historic mill is creating much more than a new collection of rental homes. The social impact developer has confirmed an all-local line-up for WEIR:LIVE, a free event taking place at the newly opened neighbourhood on 3 October. The celebration will bring live music, DJs, food and entertainment beneath Stockport’s landmark Grade II* listed railway viaduct. Weir Mill itself represents a significant heritage-led residential regeneration project. Capital&Centric has transformed the Grade II listed former cotton mill and surrounding site into a new riverside neighbourhood comprising 253 one, two and three-bedroom rental homes, including 88 apartments within the restored mill buildings. The development has been delivered by Capital&Centric in partnership with Stockport Council and Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation and forms part of the wider £1 billion regeneration of Stockport town centre. Alongside its BTR accommodation, Weir Mill provides around 20,000 sq ft of commercial space for independent businesses, with new public squares, landscaped courtyards and improved access to the River Mersey helping turn the formerly underused site into a mixed-use destination. The development combines the restoration of the historic mill complex with new-build elements, retaining much of the industrial character that has defined the site for generations. Weir Mill dates back to 1790 and predates the neighbouring railway viaduct, which was constructed over part of the mill complex during the 19th century. New amenities include Weaver’s Square, positioned beneath the viaduct and designed to accommodate markets, events, live music and pop-ups. The restored Wheelhouse has meanwhile been repurposed to provide residents with a gym, lounge and co-working facilities. A growing collection of independent operators is also helping establish the development as a destination beyond its residential community. Businesses include Social Osteria, Kontrol Pilates, Prologue, Rita Rays, The Jane Eyre and Bodega. Capital&Centric officially opened Weir Mill in August, with homes now available through the developer’s Ollo rental platform. WEIR:LIVE will provide an opportunity for the wider Stockport community to experience the completed regeneration, with Capital&Centric deliberately selecting musicians, DJs, artists and creatives from the borough. The approach reflects a wider shift within the BTR market towards developments that combine professionally managed rental homes with amenity, public realm, hospitality and community-focused spaces. For Stockport, Weir Mill also demonstrates how the reuse of challenging historic buildings can contribute to town-centre regeneration, combining new housing with heritage conservation and creating new commercial and public spaces around one of the borough’s best-known landmarks. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Grainger has reported continued strong demand across its Build to Rent (BTR) portfolio as the UK’s largest listed residential landlord advances a development pipeline that includes its newly approved 425-home Cambridge North Residential Quarter. The FTSE 250 property company’s latest trading update, covering the 11 months to the end of August 2026, showed occupancy remaining above 96%, alongside like-for-like BTR rental growth of 3%. Grainger now owns and manages more than 11,000 rental homes across the UK and remains focused on expanding its purpose-built rental portfolio. A significant development milestone during the period was planning approval for Cambridge North Residential Quarter, which will become Grainger’s first investment in Cambridge. The 425-home scheme is being brought forward on railway land adjacent to Cambridge North station through blocwork, the joint venture between Network Rail property company Platform4 and developer bloc. Grainger is lined up to forward fund the development and, once completed, will operate and manage the new rental homes. The project will provide a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a new residential neighbourhood designed to take advantage of its highly connected location. The wider proposals include linear parks, pocket gardens, tree-lined streets and active ground-floor uses, with walking, cycling and public transport forming an important part of the development strategy. Franklin Ellis Architects is involved in the design of the Cambridge North Residential Quarter, which forms part of the continuing transformation of land surrounding the station. The Cambridge investment reflects Grainger’s wider strategy of targeting well-connected UK cities where demand for professionally managed rental housing is supported by employment, transport infrastructure and constrained housing supply. Grainger is also progressing another partnership opportunity with Platform4 and blocwork in Nottingham, where a planning application has been submitted for a further 252 BTR homes. Alongside development activity, Grainger is targeting significant earnings growth from its committed BTR pipeline. Chief executive Helen Gordon said the company remains on track to grow earnings by 35% between FY25 and FY29, supported by new Build to Rent developments moving into operation. The company is simultaneously progressing an accelerated disposal programme covering approximately £850 million of non-core assets, while targeting a £300 million to £350 million reduction in net debt by the end of FY29. With high occupancy, continued rental growth and new developments advancing through planning, Grainger’s latest update highlights the growing maturity of the UK BTR sector. Cambridge North is particularly significant, combining institutional investment, residential development and transport-led regeneration to create a substantial new rental community in one of the UK’s strongest regional property markets. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Watkin Jones has completed two major Build to Rent (BTR) developments during its 2026 financial year, marking further progress for the residential developer as it continues to deliver large-scale schemes despite challenging market conditions. The completions represent another important milestone for Watkin Jones, which has established a significant presence across the UK’s purpose-built rental and student accommodation sectors. Among the developer’s major BTR projects is Loftlines, a significant residential development that forms part of the wider regeneration of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. The project demonstrates the scale and ambition of the purpose-built rental schemes now being delivered in major UK cities, combining new homes with the amenity-led approach increasingly associated with modern BTR development. Watkin Jones has also progressed its Tai Afon BTR development in Cardiff, adding further purpose-built rental accommodation to its portfolio and strengthening the company’s presence within the residential market. The latest completions arrive against a demanding backdrop for the UK development sector. Higher construction costs, financing pressures and changing investment conditions have all influenced the pace at which new residential projects can be funded and brought forward. Despite these challenges, BTR continues to represent an important area of activity within the UK housing market, supported by demand for professionally managed rental accommodation and continued institutional interest in residential property. For the wider construction and built environment industry, the delivery of major BTR developments also creates opportunities across a substantial supply chain. Large schemes require expertise spanning main contracting and structural construction through to façades, M&E services, fit-out, landscaping and public realm, before moving into long-term property and facilities management following completion. Watkin Jones’ latest progress therefore provides another indication of the continued evolution of the UK BTR sector, particularly in regional cities where large residential developments are increasingly becoming an important component of wider regeneration strategies. With two major BTR schemes reaching completion during FY26, Watkin Jones continues to demonstrate its ability to take substantial residential developments through construction and into operation while navigating a more challenging development and investment environment. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Plans for the £2 billion Vauxhall Square regeneration have secured approval, paving the way for one of London’s most ambitious new mixed-use developments and a substantial new pipeline of Build to Rent (BTR), co-living, student and conventional housing. The major scheme will transform a long-stalled 1.49-hectare site between Vauxhall and Nine Elms with a cluster of seven buildings, including a landmark 69-storey residential tower that will become a significant addition to the south London skyline. At the heart of the proposals is a diverse residential offer. Vauxhall Square is expected to provide approximately 1,097 new homes, including properties for sale and rent, alongside 1,164 co-living studios and accommodation for 699 students. The housing mix will also include affordable provision and homes for social rent. The scale of the project makes it particularly significant for London’s evolving BTR and wider living sectors. Rather than concentrating on a single residential tenure, the development brings conventional housing, professionally managed rental accommodation, co-living and purpose-built student accommodation together within one major regeneration project. Vauxhall Square is being brought forward by Cedarstone Capital Partners and Cheyne Capital alongside GFH Financial Group, with Bmor and Trigon acting as development managers. Pilbrow & Partners is leading the architectural design of the new masterplan, replacing the earlier Allies and Morrison proposals for the site. The wider professional team includes Gardiner & Theobald on costs, AKT II as structural engineer, Hoare Lea on building services and Exterior Architecture as landscape architect. DP9 is planning consultant, Velocity is advising on transport, while Publica and Space Syntax are involved in the public realm strategy. Beyond housing, Vauxhall Square is designed as a genuinely mixed-use neighbourhood. Plans incorporate a hotel, offices, retail and leisure space, a cinema and community facilities, with a new central garden forming an important focal point for the development. Ground-floor uses and new pedestrian connections are intended to create a more active public realm and improve links towards Vauxhall Station and neighbouring developments. The project is also significant because it unlocks a major site that has remained largely undeveloped despite previous planning permissions. The latest proposals respond to changing housing and investment conditions by increasing density while introducing a much broader range of residential tenures. For the construction sector, a £2 billion development of this scale represents a substantial future pipeline spanning high-rise construction, façades, structural engineering, M&E, residential fit-out, landscaping and public realm. Vauxhall Square could now become a defining part of the wider Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea regeneration story, while demonstrating how BTR, co-living, student housing and affordable homes can form part of a single large-scale urban neighbourhood. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

One of east London’s largest regeneration projects has taken a major step forward after City Hall approved plans for nearly 3,000 homes on the former Beckton Gasworks site in Newham. The Beckton Riverside development is being brought forward by St William, part of Berkeley Group, and will transform around 30 acres of derelict former industrial land on the north bank of the River Thames. The gasworks closed in the 1960s and the complexity of the contaminated site means substantial remediation and infrastructure investment will be required before large-scale housebuilding can begin. Newham Council had previously resolved to approve the proposals, but the applications were called in by the Mayor of London in April. Following a public hearing, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills Jules Pipe has now approved the scheme. At the heart of the masterplan are around 2,900 new homes, together with approximately 5,000 sq m of mixed-use floorspace and a five-acre riverside park. The first phase will include buildings rising to 15 storeys. Berkeley is expected to invest around £250 million in remediation, enabling works and infrastructure to prepare the former gasworks for redevelopment. The initial programme will involve a major clean-up of the heavily contaminated site alongside work to strengthen flood defences and upgrade local infrastructure. Architecture and masterplanning is being led by JTP, with HTA involved as landscape architect. The professional team also includes Quod as planning consultant, Vectos on transport and GIA as daylight consultant. A major component of the wider vision is improved connectivity. The masterplan has been developed around proposals for a new Beckton Riverside DLR station, forming part of Transport for London’s planned extension from Gallions Reach through Beckton Riverside and beneath the Thames to Thamesmead. The transport project remains subject to funding and further approvals. The regeneration will also open up a substantial stretch of the Thames waterfront, with JTP’s plans incorporating new streets, walking and cycling connections and extensive green infrastructure alongside the new riverside park. Affordable housing has been one of the more closely scrutinised elements of the project. City Hall documents put the initial provision at 8.1% by habitable room, with the potential to rise to as much as 20% if housing grant funding is secured. Dean Summers, managing director of St James & St William, described the approval as a significant step forward for the complex, long-term regeneration site. Construction could begin in 2028, with the first homes expected to complete from 2030. Before then, the scale of the £250 million enabling programme underlines the engineering challenge involved in transforming decades-old contaminated industrial land into an entirely new residential neighbourhood. For Berkeley and St William, Beckton Riverside represents a major long-term development opportunity. For east London, it could unlock a previously inaccessible section of the Thames and create a new mixed-use community at the heart of the wider Royal Docks and Beckton Riverside regeneration area. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals